


Day One

by Thistlerose



Category: Firefly
Genre: Ficlet, Gen, New Beginnings, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-06
Updated: 2012-02-06
Packaged: 2017-10-30 17:11:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/334100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thistlerose/pseuds/Thistlerose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kaylee can't quite believe her good luck.<br/>Written in 2009.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Day One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [magic_at_mungos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/magic_at_mungos/gifts).



Kaylee hadn't really thought the captain would leave without her – not after what he'd said. At the same time, she couldn't quite believe her good fortune. A real job! On a real spaceship! Her daddy hadn't quite believed it either, when she'd told him, though he'd given her permission to go. Kaylee liked to think it was because he couldn't deny his genius daughter the chance to get off-world and prove herself. That was probably true, though his easy acquiescence might also have had something to do with the fact that his genius daughter was developing something of a reputation with the local boys.

She would miss some of them, she thought as she ran back toward the spaceport, her duffel bag bouncing against her rear. The black could be awful lonely, or so she'd heard. Bester was cute and good with his hands, but…

At that moment, Kaylee rounded a corner and _Serenity_ flashed into view. She couldn't suppress a squeal of delight. At the captain's startled expression she said hurriedly, "You waited. I mean, I _knew_ you weren't playin' or nothin' but…"

"I don't play about with my boat," said the captain, taking her duffel bag. He gave it an experimental shake and seemed bemused by the muffled jingling and tinkling.

"Just a few little things I thought it'd be nice to have," she explained. "To decorate my bunk, I was thinking. Just some little bells and ribbons—"

"Miss, so long as you can keep my boat in the air, your little bells and ribbons are welcome aboard. But," he added, waggling a finger seriously, "they're confined to _your_ bunk."

"Yes, sir."

"Well, then." He grinned down at her. "I got my first mate, my pilot, and my engineer. Let's get airborne."

"Your en—wait, what about Bester?"

The captain scratched his chin. "Last I saw, he was headed in the direction of a particularly disreputable looking tavern. You're welcome to run after him, but I think we both know you can do better."

 

That night, Kaylee lay awake for a long time, listening to the purring of _Serenity_ 's engine, and the faint tinkling of her porcelain bells. Everything was new and strange to her. But somehow, all of it made sense.

5/1/09


End file.
